International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
CBP released a report Oct. 17 with detailed statistics on Section 321 de minimis shipments during fiscal years 2018 through 2021. The report shows a continuous rise in volume of shipments during the period, which ended Sept. 30, 2021, from about 400 million to about 770 million. The value of shipments declined during the latter years of the period, however, rising from about $30 million in 2018 to about $56 million in 2019 and $67 million in 2020, before falling to about $40 million in 2021. The report also contains statistics on seizures by type, by mode of transportation and by country of shipment, as well as whether refused shipments were abandoned or returned to sender.
Trade participants in the 21st Century Customs Framework “focus group” are set to meet with CBP and other government officials Oct. 17 and 18 to discuss a series of proposed statutory changes developed over recent weeks that aim to incorporate facilitation measures into upcoming customs modernization legislation.
The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of a countervailing duty administrative review of cold-rolled steel flat products from South Korea (C-580-882). In the final results of this review, Commerce will set assessment rates for importers of subject merchandise from 47 exporters under review that was entered Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2020.
FDA is proposing to amend its regulations on administrative detention to provide for the destruction of low value medical devices that have been refused admission to the U.S., and modify its procedures so the agency can more easily destroy low value shipments of drugs, it said in a notice released Oct. 6. Comments on the proposal are due Dec. 6.
The Commerce Department is amending the final results of a countervailing duty administrative review on certain hot-rolled steel flat products from South Korea (C-580-884) to correct a duty calculation for Hyundai Steel Company. In the final results of that review, covering calendar year 2017, Commerce assigned to Hyundai Steel Company, the mandatory respondent, a CV duty cash deposit rate of 0.51%.
The Coalition for a Prosperous America announced that it had asked CBP to investigate Chinese distribution company Shein for violating the prohibition on the import of goods made with forced labor.
African Growth and Opportunity Act benefits for Kenya need to continue as any trade partnership is formed, commenters said, especially the third-country fabric rule of origin.
As the finish line comes into sight for discussions with CBP on enforcement-related agency “challenge areas” under the 21st Century Customs Framework (21CCF), trade community participants now seek to steer the discourse toward facilitation and modernization opportunities that may prove crucial to getting buy-in from the trade industry.